Kevin Norton

Degree Program:
DMA–Saxophone (ABD)Cognate: Musicology

Kevin Norton is a DMA candidate in saxophone at the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music (where he studies with Dr. James Bunte) and is a private instructor in the Cincinnati metro area, primarily at Walnut Hills High School. During the 2012-13 school year, he was also an Adjunct Professor (teaching Intro to Music and music history) at The Defiance College in Defiance, Ohio.

At CCM, he is also earning a cognate in Romantic and twentieth-century musicology. Most recently, he had an article published (concerning the so-called "Shostakovich Wars") in the July 2013 edition of DSCH Journal.

A native of Williamsburg, Kentucky, Kevin previously studied at Morehead State University in Morehead, Kentucky under Dr. Nathan Nabb and Prof. Eugene Norden. At Morehead, Kevin earned a Bachelor’s degree (Summa cum laude) in Music Education and a Master of Music in saxophone performance.

He has participated in several honors ensembles, including the Kentucky Intercollegiate Band and the CBDNA Southern Division Honors Band. He has also performed (both solo and with quartets) at several previous NASA events: regional conferences at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro (2007), Northeastern Illinois University (2011) and Bowling Green State University (2013); the 2008 national conference at the University of South Carolina; the 2010 national conference at the University of Georgia; the 2012 national conference at Arizona State University; and the 2014 national conference at the University of Illinois.

In addition, Kevin has actively premiered several new works for saxophone. As a member of the CCM Graduate Saxophone Quartet, helped premiere composer Matthew Browne’s work “Two Pieces” at the 2011 Navy Band Saxophone Symposium at George Mason University. A year later, he (as a member of the 3-2-5 Quartet) premiered Amber Autumn by CCM composer Carrie Magin at the Arizona State conference. Most recently, Kevin gave the world premiere of composer Ian Dicke's soprano sax arrangement of his Chapter One, Page One at the 2014 NASA conference.

Kevin Norton is a current member of the Prestalgia Duo along with Jennifer Grantham (saxophone professor at Xavier University and CCM alumnus). Together, they were members of a consortium (headed by the Ogni Suono duo) that commissioned Ian Dicke's work Straphanger (for tenor and baritone sax); the Prestalgia Duo gave the Region 5 premiere of the work at the 2013 conference at Bowling Green. Kevin and Jennifer also actively perform together in the Cincinnati area, most recently in April 2014 for the Cincinnati version of Classical Revolution.